Dispensing apparatus



T. TRIPOLITIS.

DISPENSING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.,28, 1919.

Patented May 11, 1920.

2 SHEET$-SHEET l- WWW.

T.v TRIPOLITIS.

DISPENSING APPARATUS. APPLICATION min man. was.

1,339,635, Patented May 11, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- omrnn srATEs PATENT OFFICE.

THEMIOS TRIPOLITIS, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

DISPENSING APPARATUS.

Application filed August 28,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THnMIos TRIPOLITIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Dispensing Apparatus; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and eXact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in apparatus for use in dispensing liquid and has reference more particularly to a device of this class for measuring milk, tea or the like in lunch rooms, hotels, etc.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a liquid dispensing device in which a predeterminedquantity of liquid is allowed to escape when a faucet is opened, and in which an agitator in the liquid is operated. simultaneously with opening of said faucet. The liquid is thus so stirred as to prevent any of its ingredients from settling to the bottom of the tank in which it is contained.

With the foregoing and other minor objects in View, the invention resides in the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed, the 'de-' scriptive matter being supplemented by the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a vertical section looking toward the rear of the device and showing parts in elevation.

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section on the plane indicated by line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section as indicated by line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4- is a detail section showing a slightly different form of construction. I

In carrying out my invention, I employ a tank 1 for the liquid to be dispensed, equip said tank with a faucet 2, provide an agitator 3 in the tank, and employ means for operating said agitator each time said faucet is opened. These features may be embodied in numerous forms but the preferred construction is illustrated in the drawings and described below in detail.

The tank 1 is provided at its rear side with a refrigerating chamber or ice-box 4 for maintaining its contents at the desired temperature and said tank may well be provided at its upper end with a flush ring 5 to which water may be supplied by a valved pipe 6,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 11, 1920.

1919. Serial No. 320,364.

whereby the tank may be cleaned whenever required. The water sprayed onto the sides of the tank by the ring 5 may be drained from said tank through a suitable pipe 7, when the valve 8 is opened. While I preferto employ this cleaning means for the tank, it is obvious that it need not be used in all instances.

The faucet 2 as shown, includes a spout 9 extending forwardly from the bottom of the tank 1 and in contant communication with the interior of said tank, and aliquid measuring pocket 10 communicating with said spout through a suitable opening 11. A sliding valve 12 operates in the straight portion of the spout 9 and is movable forwardly to the full line position of Fig. 2, in order to permit filling of the pocket 10 from the tank 1, and said valve is shiftable inwardly as indicated by the dotted lines in the aforementioned figure, to allow the pocket to discharge its contents through the opening 11 and the outer end of the spout. It will thus be seen that the measured quantity of liquid contained in the pocket will be discharged at each inward'movement of the valve, and by making said pocket of the proper size, the apparatus may be made to dispense one glass'full or cup full of milk, tea or the like, each time the valve is opened.

To normally close the valve 12, suitable means are employed and in Figs. 2 and 3 I have shown such means in the form of a spring-wound drum 13 and a metal strip or the like 14, wound on said drum at one end and attached to the valve 12 at its other end. In Fig. 1, I have illustrated the valve 12 provided with a forwardly extending stem 15 on which is mounted a coil spring 16 for normally moving said valve to closed position. This stem may well serve as means to operate the valve, for which purpose it may be provided with an appropriate handle or knob 17 Appropriate operating connections are employed between the valve 12 and the agitator and I have shown these connections as consisting of a bell crank 18 linked at 19 to the agitator and connected by suitable stem 20 with said'valve, said bell crank. being fulcrumed at 21 within the tank 1. By this arrangement, when either. the valve or the agitator member is operated,the other member will be simultaneously moved in the required manner, and it will be-obvious that I may provide suitable means for operating either of said members by hand. For

' instance, the knob 17 or an equivalent ar rangement might be used for controlling the valve 12 as in Fig. 1, or a construction such as that described below may be utilized for actuating the agitator.

Opgositely extending arms 22 and 23 are provi ed on the horizontal shaft 24 of the agitator 3, and two cables or the like 25 and 26 are connected at their lower ends to said arms respectively. Cable 26 is attached at its upper end to a spring wound drum 27 mounted within the tank 1 while cable 25 passes over suitable sheaves 28 and is provided with a handle 29. When this handle is pulled, the agitator is rocked against the action of the spring-wound drum 27 and at the same time the connections 18, 19, and 20 move the valve 12 inwardly to open position against the tension of the spring closing means for said valve. When thevalve thus moves, the previously measured liquid is discharged fromthe pocket 10. When the handle 29 is released, the springs above-mentioned return the agitator 3 and the valve 12 to normal position, thus furtheragitating the liquid in the tank 1 and exposing the opening 12 to permit refilling of the pocket 10. The upper end of this pocket may be provided with a suitable vent 30 to prevent either the formation of vacuum therein or the trapping of air, which would otherwise interfere with the proper operation of the device. 7

When the arrangement of Fig. 1 is employed, the parts 22, 28 and the operating connections associated therewith are not employed, and the agitator is operated directly from the valve instead of moving said valve from the agitator as in Figs. 1, 2 and 8.

The entire device is comparatively simple and inexpensive, yet is highly efficient and in everyway desirable, and since probably the best results may be obtained from the details disclosed, they may well be followed. I wish it understood however that within the scope. of the invention as claimed, the device may be embodied in numerous forms other than that shown.

I claim: 7

1. In a liquid dispensing apparatus, a tank having an outwardly extending spout provided in its side with an opening, a liq-' uid measuring pocket in communication with the interior of said spout by means of said opening, and asliding valve in saidspout normally disposed outwardly beyond said opening, but capable of moving inwardly to expose said opening, whereby the liquid contained in said pocket may be discharged,

said pocket being normally in communication with said tank by way of said spout. 2. In a liquid dispensing apparatus, tank to contain the liquid to be dispensed,ta horizontal shaft extending across said tank and having opposed'agitating'wings extending substantially throughout its length and normally positioned vertically, oppositely extending crank arms on said shaft, an operating cable connected to one of said arms for rotating said shaft, yielding means connected to the other arm for returning all parts to normal after operation thereof, a movable liquid discharge valve for said tank, and connecting means between said valve and the lowermost of said wings for operating the former from the latter. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set I my hand.

THEMIos TRiPoLITIs. 

